


And Then Shawarma After

by vidocqsociety



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen, Shawarma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-23
Updated: 2012-07-23
Packaged: 2017-11-10 12:47:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/466457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vidocqsociety/pseuds/vidocqsociety
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After defeating Loki and his alien army, the Avengers go out for shawarma.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Then Shawarma After

**Author's Note:**

> I realize this has probably been done to death, but I couldn't help myself. It's my favorite part of the movie.

Shawarma is a good idea, if you ask Tony (or even if you didn't ask him—he's going to tell you either way). Really, after something like what they've just gone through, any sort of food is a good idea, but shawarma is an especially good one. It's different. It's tasty. And best of all, it's casual.

The silence is getting to him, though. The only sounds to be heard are the settling of debris and someone behind him sweeping up the aftermath of the Avengers' first team outing. Tony doesn't do well with silence. It leaves him alone with his thoughts. So he speaks. "I like this place."

"I, too, enjoy this establishment," Thor announces in his booming voice. "Their food is most delicious."

"We should make it ours. Is it for sale?" Tony looks around for the owners. They are diligently cleaning up. "I don't want to change anything. I just want to be able to eat here for free."

"If you bought it, you wouldn't be eating for free," Steve says, arms folded on the table. His food remains relatively untouched. Tony notices this.

"What's wrong, Cap? Not feelin' it?"

Steve shrugs, looking sheepish. "I kind of just want a cheeseburger."

"How patriotic." Tony picks up some fallen lamb off his plate and eats it. He's quite enjoying the lack of cutlery. "You don't know what you're missing, though."

"I just want something familiar, you know?" Because after everything that's happened—the helicarriers, the Norse gods, the alien invasion—he wants something he _knows_. And he knows cheeseburgers. They haven't changed. After 70 years, they're still just cheeseburgers. And he knows it's stupid and a little bit childish, but Steve thinks he's earned that right.

They have Coke, though. It tastes a little bit different (Bruce explained it's because they don't use real sugar anymore) but it's pretty close. It reminds him of when he and Bucky would sit on the front steps of their building during the summer. They would drink Cokes and argue about baseball and see if their mothers would give them enough money to go to the movies. Steve stares at his drink, bubbles rising, and he smiles. Just a little bit.

"Okay," Tony says, leaning back in his chair and wiping his hand on his shirt. "After this, we'll stop for a burger. That place across from the tower. You like that place, right?"

"They're in worse shape than here."

"So we'll order out. Whatever. You'll get your burger. Done deal."

"It's fine," Steve says. "I'll eat this. I don't want to waste it."

"What waste? Thor'll eat it." Tony thumps Thor on the back. Thor returns it with gusto, leaving Tony sputtering. He waves off an apologetic Thor, gulping down half of his drink in one go. "I'm fine," Tony wheezes. Natasha rolls her eyes, but fondly.

"You want it?" Steve asks.

"Gladly!" Thor brightens at the prospect of more food. Steve pushes his plate towards him, and Thor accepts it with delight.

"How many is that?" Natasha asks. "Four?"

"Five," Bruce says. He's been relatively quiet, spending most of his time looking at the pictures that managed to remain on the wall. There is the occasional celebrity, but mostly, they seem to be pictures of the owners: family photos, posing with customers, working in the kitchen. In all of them, however, they are beaming. Because they love this restaurant. The photos make that obvious. "We should definitely make it our place."

"Our shawarma place?" Natasha asks, amused. She corrals bits of fallen vegetable with her finger.

"Yeah," Bruce says. "It'd be nice."

"It would," Natasha says with a nod. She gives Bruce a smile, and it's a genuine one. Bruce returns it. The incident on the helicarrier is water under the bridge. Natasha knows Bruce was not at fault, and the Other Guy redeemed himself, both by saving Tony's life and by actually apologizing to Natasha (though she suspects that was Bruce's doing). They are allies now—the three of them. "I like this place."

"Cap doesn't," Tony says.

"I like it here," Steve says. "It's nice. They have Coke. I'm sure the food is delicious. When we come back on a regular day—"

"What, like a group outing?" Tony asks. "Field trip?"

"If this is going to be our shawarma place, I assume we're coming back at some point." 

"Fine. But if we institute the buddy system, I get you. Barton's an idiot and Natasha scares me."

"What about me?" Bruce asks.

"The Other Guy and Thor seem to get along so well. I don't want to get between that."

"The green one is worthy sparring partner," Thor says.

"Glad someone likes him."

"He's not so bad," says Natasha. 

"He's a good guy to have on your side," Steve says. Bruce gives him a grateful nod. The table descends into an awkward silence. Steve searches for a subject change. "Clint's been quiet."

Natasha huffs her version of a laugh. "Clint's been asleep." She punches him in the arm. Clint startles awake, arm flying backwards to a quiver that isn't there. "Rise and shine, Barton."

Clint rubs at his arm. "Jesus, Tasha. Haven't you kicked the shit out of me enough lately?"

"Never." Natasha props her chin on her hand and gives Barton a smile that dares him to retaliate. Clint is not that stupid. He simply scowls at her and takes a swig of his drink. He scowls at that, too.

"Does this place serve beer?"

"It could use a bar," Tony says, nodding. "That'll be the priority after I buy it."

Clint snorted. "You're buying it now?"

"Sure, why not?"

"They're not going to sell," Bruce says. "This restaurant is their life. They're not going to give that up. I mean, look at them. They're open even though we destroyed the place."

Tony looks around, considering. "Right." It sinks in now how much this place must mean to them. They treat everything, unbroken or not, with great care, stopping to look at each fallen photograph and remember with a tender smile. The few unbroken panes of glass were so clean they were practically invisible. Their table (the lone survivor) had been scrubbed clean, and every available chair had been found and placed around it. This place wasn't just being patched up. It was being put back together with the same love and care used to build it in the first place. Tony knows he can't just buy it. And he doesn't want to anymore.

But he does have an idea.

He throws his napkin down onto his empty plate. "We done? Steve wants his burger."

"I don't—"

"Hush," Tony says, waving a hand at him. He catches the woman's attention. "We're ready to cash out over here, when you get a sec." She nods and goes off to get their check.

"Really, Stark? ‘Cash out'?" Natasha says, eyebrow raised. "This isn't Vegas."

"I'm giving these people my money. I can call it whatever I'd like."

"Fair enough."

Clint stares at Natasha. "‘Fair enough'? Really?"

"What?"

"You never say that. Ever. Even when you're wrong."

"I've said it lots of times. I've just never said it to you."

"Why not?"

"Because you're never right."

Clint considers this. "Fair enough."

The woman holds the check out to Tony. He glances at it. "Yeah, I don't really like being handed things. If you could just, y'know, put it on the table? That would be great."

The woman blinks at him. She looks up at Natasha, of all people, for an answer. Natasha gives the poor woman her best apologetic smile, and says, "He has a… _condition_." Tony makes a face at her. The woman nods, and places the receipt and a pen next to Tony's plate.

"He's a freak," Clint adds helpfully. Tony throws a wadded up napkin at him. Clint dodges it easily. "Stop making a mess, Stark."

"Gettin' real sick of your bullshit, Cupid." 

Clint scoffs. "Because no one's used that one before."

Tony scrawls a number on the tip line, signs the receipt with his usual flourish, and leaves it on the table for the woman to pick up. Bruce glances at it. His eyebrows fly up in shock. Tony notices, but pretends he doesn't. The woman nods in thanks and takes the receipt to the register. "Would you prefer something more recent? What's the name of that Scottish girl with the hair? The cartoon?"

"Princess Merida!" Thor says excitedly. "Of the noble clan DunBroch!"

"Thor likes Pixar," Natasha provides.

Tony doesn't even blink. "Of course he does."

"The captain and I both enjoyed the exploits of the citizens of Monstropolis."

The entire table looks at Steve. He shrugs, unapologetic. "It's a good movie."

The woman rushes back over to the table, wide-eyed and panicky. "No-no," she says, shoving the receipt back at Tony. "Too much. It's too much."

Tony glances at it. "No, that's right."

"But—"

"The Avengers have decided to make this our regular shawarma joint," Tony announces with bravado. "We're going to need you fully operational ASAP. That should be enough for kitchen repairs and to replace most of the furniture. Next time, we'll talk upgrades." He brightens. "That's it!" Tony pulls out his phone and wanders off. "Pepper! Idea: Stark Industries appliances. Super energy efficient. No-no, hear me out…" He leaves the restaurant for the street. The woman watches him leave, still in shock.

Clint sits up. "I'll take his credit card for him."

Steve grabs it before Clint can. "I think I'll be taking care of this." The woman nods, and rushes to the back to show her husband.

Clint pouts. "You are no fun, Cap. It's not like he can't afford it."

Steve raises an eyebrow. "What is ‘it'?"

"No idea. All I know is it'd be expensive. A car, maybe."

Steve tucks it into a small pocket. "Come on, Barton. I want my burger." He steers Clint out of the restaurant, ignoring his protests. "Come on, Thor!" Steve calls behind him. "We can watch _Wall-E_ again!"

Thor shovels the last of his food into his mouth, finishes his drink, and bounds after Steve.

"How much did Stark tip them?" Natasha asks, watching Bruce as he begins to clean up the table.

"Ten thousand."

Natasha's eyes flew open. "Seriously?"

"Restaurants are expensive," Bruce says with a shrug. "And like Clint said, it's not like he can't afford it."

"Yeah, but…"

"Surprised I'd spend money on other people?" Tony leans in through the door, still on the phone. "No, Pepper, I wasn't talking—hang on." He puts the phone to his chest. "Come on, guys. Steve's actually hungry and Thor's demanding we all watch the movie together."

"Wait!" The woman came rushing out, husband in tow. "Could I trouble you all for a picture?"

"No trouble at all!" Tony says, always happy to be in front of a camera. "Let me just…" He points out of the door. A moment later, Steve is dragging Clint back in, and Thor follows, all smiles.

"Will this be on you Book of Faces?" Thor asks the woman. "My friend Darcy speaks of it at great length, though she insists I am never to have one."

"Facebook," Natasha corrects. "And she's right. You're not allowed to have one."

"You want in on this?" Tony asks. He doesn't wait for an answer. Instead, he plucks the camera from the woman's hand and props it up on a makeshift tripod made up of fallen ceiling tiles and a few cracked trays. He checks the screen. "Great. Beautiful." He sets up the timer. "Let's rock and roll." He plants himself in the middle of the group, arms around both owners. The rest gather around. 

The camera blinks a warning. "Everybody say 'shawarma'!" Tony cries.

Natasha pokes him. "Just shut up and smile, Stark."

"Yep," Tony says. "Definitely our place."


End file.
